


Look At The Stars

by freckledtilikum



Category: One Piece
Genre: Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, M/M, References to Depression, Reincarnation, Reunited and It Feels So Good
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-24
Updated: 2019-12-24
Packaged: 2021-02-18 06:08:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21939499
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/freckledtilikum/pseuds/freckledtilikum
Summary: Deuce finally gets to reunite with his lost love, and he's not really complaining about how Ace returns to him.
Relationships: Masked Deuce & Portgas D. Ace, Masked Deuce/Portgas D. Ace
Kudos: 18





	Look At The Stars

**Author's Note:**

> I introduced @s-tellula (tumblr) to my reincarnated orca!Ace & you wanted to hear more, so!!! Merry Christmas, love.

When he first returned to this world, Ace was more than a little surprised to see that he retained his memories of his life prior. 

All around him was a world entirely new, yet so very familiar. He had been barred from this world the moment he sunk his teeth into the Mera Mera fruit, now re-introduced to it in his second chance at life. Just as was true of his previous life, he awoke to the wild and merciless world around him. A storm rampaged overhead, flashes of lightning illuminating the sky in brilliant light and immediate clashes of thunder that shook the very ocean to its core. 

Sea life went on undisturbed, acclimated to the chaos. If the sky wanted to throw a fit, then so be it. The ocean was much more powerful, swallowing entire civilizations when it chose and leaving nothing behind. 

It took some time to get used to this body, but Ace had always learned quickly in life, contrary to what others may believe. His own stubbornness had been his downfall in many areas, including what inevitably led to his death, but he was still fairly smart for a boy raised in the feral side of a mountain top. Those survival instincts were honed in this new body, which was… much bigger than the last. 

Much bigger!

The first thing he did was search for Luffy. Ace had to know that he was alright after what happened. It hurt to depart in such a traumatic way, especially after all that the Straw Hat captain had done for his sake, so he might live. But he soon found that his sacrifice had not been for naught. Finding the Thousand Sunny was easy, and he lingered around the ship for a day or so to watch that rambunctious little brother of his, alive and happy as ever. Ace could feel his heart swell with pride. Everything was going to be okay, and Luffy… would surely realize his goal. Now, Ace would have the chance to see it come true. 

He did not stay much longer though, if only because his presence had been noted after the first day. It was quite a feat, escaping their capture efforts. However, Ace knew if he were caught, they would surely eat him and he had only just returned to this world. He need not waste this life too. 

On to the next destination: His beloved. 

Finding Deuce was a little more difficult for the orca. Their familiar stomping grounds were suddenly void of any Whitebeard Fleet influence, and to his horror, he found them now under the charge of the Blackbeard Fleet. No family he had come to know and love, gathered on whale-headed ships that promised liberation and safety for all those lost souls. And for a moment, he had to stop himself from the guilt suddenly filling him, like rocks in his belly. He could mourn their loss, but he had to move. He had to find Deuce, because there was no way his beloved had perished in the tragedy that followed his own demise. 

\--Or, maybe so? But what a terrifying thought! Surely, Deuce was stronger than that. 

* * *

He fell from grace. That was the only way to describe his life now. 

Drunken days melting together in a haze of absinthe. Green fairies that resembled his lost love floated around him constantly, dancing and taunting with everything that was lost, his love most of all. Just out of reach, but always hovering nearby. He was always either drinking or smoking, or both, and always on the run. Brothels considered the Spade pirates their friends, and most mourned Ace’s loss after the war. They accepted Deuce in with open arms and pity he did not care for. He just wanted to be left alone. 

When the sympathy became too suffocating, he made his way outside, finding solace near the sea. Some bitter part of his heart wanted to hate Ace; he never wanted to be a pirate. But he knew that anger was more directed at himself for not doing better in protecting what he loved most in this world. He could not blame Ace for being himself; Deuce loved who his fallen captain was, flaws and all. 

He still could not ease the ache of his heart, near constantly weighing down on him in sleep and all throughout his days. Would he ever feel okay again, he wondered? Or would grief overtake him eventually, and all he was doing now was delaying the inevitable. Thoughts of his own mortality were a near constant mantra with no one around to stop them, assure him. 

This was his punishment for not saving Ace, he conceded. This was his punishment, for letting the darkness snuff out the light of the sun. 

Something so sacred and wonderful. The world took him for granted, in all that he did. They could not look beyond their own prejudice and see how truly wonderful he was. A man apart from the shadow cast over him by the dead Pirate King; Ace truly deserved the world, and so much more. 

He could lament until his final breath, but what good would it do anyone? 

Fate would have it that he was out on the docks the day that massive dorsal fin broke the surface nearby. A sprayed exhale of stinking breath and droplets of water announced the arrival of the beast with a loud KSSSH! that went henceforth ignored by the writer. He was too busy staring at the unfinished page before him, at a loss on what to do with this adventure novel now that his muse was long since gone. 

It was only when a freckled rostrum heaved up out of the water and nudged against him that Deuce afforded the beast any attention at all. “What?” He sounded more or less annoyed at this animal, turning to face the very large orca. Deuce was instantly stricken with a sense of familiarity though, especially at the plethora of freckles which dotted each white patch, and some along the black of his mouth. 

Was he being foolish? A little too hopeful? 

No, that wasn’t possible, was it? 

“Ace?” His voice cracked out as he stood, slipping his writing into the satchel hanging off of him. 

Striking gray eyes were on him with such hope glistening that Deuce almost didn’t want to believe this was actually happening. At the excited nodding, and subsequent splashing of displaced water around him, the writer could not hold himself back anymore. Dry clothes be damned! He threw himself into the sea with the large animal, arms thrown around rubbery flesh as he pressed himself close. His face buried against Ace, holding him close. 

And who cares if there were tears streaming down his cheeks. He would blame it on the salt water around them if anyone asked. Though, they might be wondering why he was in the water with a wild animal more so than questioning why he was crying over said animal. 

“You idiot!” He sobbed out, clinging as if his life depended on it; as if Ace would suddenly disappear should he let go. “You left me…!” 

Of course, his revived captain could not verbally answer. He did his best to reassure Deuce in the form of clicks that seemed to go right through him, into the very core of the writer himself. Even when Ace was human, they did not need words to understand each other. The silence around them had always been comfortable and compassionate, just as was the case then. 

An unspoken apology, a promise to never part; that was all Deuce suddenly felt in the vibrations against him from each sound Ace made. He was inclined to believe him, but… “You-- You’re stuck with me now.” He leaned back just enough to try and wipe his tears away. “Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t get hunted, right?” 

And really, what more could Ace ask for? Traveling with Deuce again… It was all they could do now. This time around though, they would at least have each other without the threat of Marines bearing down on them, or bounty hunters. Deuce might actually get to finish his novel, and get a lovely adventure in the mean time. 


End file.
